The Grief Cycle

Write about a time when you had to deal with the grief cycle in some way and how you managed to move from one stage to the other.

When I was little my parents divorced. I was very little and didn't really understand what was going on. All I knew was that I was loosing my dad. I became very sad. I refused to believe this. My dad and I had always had such a good connection. I didn't want to believe that he was leaving. But he did. For a few days all I did was sit around and stare at things. I didn't even go to school. I sat alone by a creek and did nothing. When I did go back to school, I got angry. Everyone was constantly asking me about why I was gone, what happened. I didn't want to tell them, but they kept asking. One day I snapped and hit a girl. I didn't get in much trouble, the teachers knew what was going on. I was sent home for a few more days where I didn't stray from my anger. I couldn't be happy. I was so angry at everyone. The people who were badgering me about what happened, my dad, my mom, even my brother. After a while though, my anger ebbed away. Then I was just sad. I cried and cried. But then I stopped. My mom had told me to stop crying, that it was pointless. Every time I did cry she got very angry and yelled at me. As a result, I don't cry much anymore. Or get sad. I eventually accepted that my dad was gone, but ever since then I've been drifting in and out of the anger stage. My mom and I don't get along well and we fight often. I have a bad relationship with my dad too. I can no longer believe anything he says and don't talk to him much. I've turned to other things such painting and pets to help transfer my anger. It's working well so far, and I'm getting mad less and less. I've also become a much better painter.